


the original lifeline

by Pomfry



Series: I am the same, I'm the same (I'm trying to change) [1]
Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Gen, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kuro is so very tired bless this man, Pre-Slash, and sakuya is mahiru's cousin/adopted son, ish, it's really only mentioned, let him sleep, the servamps have wings, tsubaki and sakuya are toddlers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-08 10:30:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14692334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pomfry/pseuds/Pomfry
Summary: A pause. “Did someone actually buy this dump?”“Yes,” Mahiru says coldly. “I did. Now come out.”A sigh, muttered complaints, and someone steps out into the light. The blue coat catches Mahiru’s attention first, the trailing strands that stop at his ankles. The other things are the huge, pitch black wings that arc from his slouching back.(In which Mahiru buys a building and discovers some stowaways.)





	the original lifeline

**Author's Note:**

> I saw this https://gr4ce-and-t0ffie.tumblr.com/post/173858399372 post on tumblr and it inspired me. And because i have no self control, i wrote this instead of studying for my french final tomorrow.

So far, Kuro has only known the stifling fear in the air, the way he can choke on it. So far, he only knows the whimpers of his siblings - not by blood, but by choice, and that is so much stronger - and the smell of blood. So far, he only knows the feeling of feathers against his back, the hunger gnawing at his insides. So far, he only knows the feeling of having to hold himself back, of giving his siblings - little Lily, who grew up so fast, and Hugh, who is so small - his food so they can stay fed for a few hours more.

So far, Kuro has only knows the darkness and knives and the wideness of his Creator’s grin.

He’s been contemplating his decision for a while, turning it over and over in his head as his siblings slept beside him, exhausted from the day and trusting him for safety.

Kuro is the oldest. It’s his responsibility to take care of the younger ones. That’s the thing - until he reached five years old, the Creator was - nice. He only made him flex his wings until they ached while he took notes.

After Hugh arrived, though, all tiny downy feathers and sleepy eyes, he turned cruel and Kuro had taken the task of protecting his siblings from him.

It’s not until a baby is handed to him by Lily, his eyes wide and his hair disheveled, that he decides to do something.

He’s spent eighteen years here. As far back as his memories can reach. But he has seven little brothers and a sister and they’ve all spent their entire lives in this hellhole, in this place filled with white walls and bars. He doesn’t want that anymore. He doesn’t want this little baby - Tsubaki, Lily told him - to grow up like that.

Tsubaki is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Eighteen years here, clawing and fighting and choking out screams. Eighteen years having sibling after sibling being handed to him, always small, always innocent, and Kuro decides no more.

“No more,” he says to Tsubaki, who cooes and tries to grab at his nose.

“Kuro?” Hyde slides over, burying his face in Kuro’s ratty jacket. “What do you mean?”

“It means,” Kuro tells him, tells everyone, “that we are getting out of here.” He gives Tsubaki to Hugh, who wraps his blanket around the baby to keep him warm, and stands, stretching. All of his sibling’s attention goes to him automatically, and he smiles grimly.

“When he comes for me tomorrow, make as much sound as you can without disturbing Tsubaki,” he says. “I’m going to do something...drastic.”

They all nod, apparently too frightened by his tone of voice to do anything.

Kuro smiles, although it’s more of a grimace. This is something he needs to do, he assures himself. His siblings are all so small, so tiny. He can’t let anything else happen to them. He’s shielded them the best he could, but there’s only so much he can do.

Enough is enough, he thinks, and flexes his fingers. “Scratch that,” he says. “I’m going to do it now.”

He reaches out, hand grasping the wall, and  _ pulls. _

 

\--

 

Mahiru Shirota is someone who likes things simple. It's why he loves baking - almost every recipe is simple to make and also delicious. He was known for his baking when he was in high school, and when he went to school for it, everyone cheered him on.

Eventually, he had enough money to by a bakery for himself - and of course he bought the run down place by fifth. As much as he likes things simple, he also likes to fix things. It’s in his blood, his uncle used to joke before he passed away. His mom was the same way - always stopping to help someone or repair something.

And now, when Sakuya clinging to his leg, he opens the door to the crumbling building, grimacing when a bit of plaster falls onto his forehead. This place really needs work, but he has the inheritance from his uncle, so he has enough money to hire people to fix it and install all the things he needs. His uncle was apparently really rich from all his business travels, but, like Mahiru, he liked to keep things simple. As a result, he lived in a modest apartment with three rooms and devoid of expensive things.

“What do you think of this place, Sakuya?” he asks gently, resting a hand on his cousin’s head. Sakuya is three and clingy. Mahiru adopted him after his parents got caught sending his sister off the balcony for insurance money, holding their hands over his mouth to keep him quiet.

They’re now in jail, hopefully forever. If Mahiru saw them, he just might punch them in the face for doing that to their daughter and son.

Sakuya takes a look around, little arms still wrapped around his leg, and wrinkles his nose. “Dirty,” he says, and Mahru laughs, tugging on Sakuya’s hair a little.

“That is is,” he agrees. “Lucky we know how to clean things up, right?”

Sakuya nods, taking a tentative step away from Mahiru. “Lucky,” he says, nodding.

Mahiru smiles. “Yep! So we’re going to -”

A rustle, a thud, and Mahiru is sweeping Sakuya into his arms in a second, grabbing a broom from the floor. “Who's there?” he shouts, Sakuya whimpering into his neck.

“Should we tell big brother?” whispers a voice.

“He isn’t home yet!”

“Really? What is he even doing, Old Child?”

“He’s getting food, Lawless,” answers another voice dryly. “He told us that before he left.”

“I said  _ who’s there!”  _ Mahiru yells, and they all fall silent.

“Should we?”

“Big brother said not to reveal ourselves to anyone,” says a soft voice.

“Bah, you’re all so indecisive!” bellows another voice. “Sloth Plosh, they have a kid and you know how Tsubaki is getting!”

Mahiru tightens his grip on Sakuya, turning so his cousin is away from them. “You aren’t touching my cousin,” he says icily, grip tightening on the broom.

A sigh. “You scared him, World End,” drawls a female voice. “Well done.”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“You’re terrible at being reassuring.”

“Hey, hey…” A new voice, deep with age and slow with tiredness.

They all fall silent. Mahiru assumes this is the “big brother” they were all talking about, and tenses in anticipation. “Come out!”

A pause. “Did someone actually buy this dump?” He sounds bewildered.

“Yes,” Mahiru says coldly, Sakuya starting to cry in his arms. He wishes that he could comfort him, but he has to deal with this first. “I did. Now come out.”

A sigh, muttered complaints, and someone steps out into the light. The blue coat catches Mahiru’s attention first, the trailing strands that stop at his ankles. Combat boots come next, and then the dinging bell hanging from his neck. Then his hood, oddly shaped like cat ears, and then -

Then the huge, pitch black wings that arc from his slouching back. They’re giant, at least twelve feet long. Mahiru's knees weaken at the sight of it.

The man’s eyes are blank and red. “Who are you?”

Mahiru draws himself up to his full height. “I’m Mahiru Shirota,” he says boldly. “And I’m the owner of this place. Who are you?”

The man hesitates, fingers curling into claws. “...Kuro,” he says finally. “My name is Kuro.”

They stare at each other, one nervous and the only exhausted, until a form darts out of the darkness and launches itself at Mahiru’s legs.

Mahiru yelps, losing his balance and dropping the broom as he looks down. “What -”

Kuro sighs, rubbing at his temples. “Tsubaki,” he says, and he sounds so tired. “What did I say about staying hidden?’

There’s a toddler clinging to his legs, little wings covered with fluff coming from his back as he giggles. “But there’s another kid and Lily is  _ eight.” _

And suddenly Mahiru understands. This is a fellow guardian of children, only it seems like it’s more than the one Mahiru has. He empathizes. This man must get absolutely no sleep.

It still doesn’t explain the wings.

“It seems that we’ve had a misunderstanding,” he says clearly as six more come creeping out to stand around their guardian.

“So it seems,” Kuro says, eyeing Mahiru warily as he sets Sakuya down next to Tsubaki, who grabs his hand and laughs hysterically before stopping adruptly. “Tsubaki, stop being creepy."

“Not being creepy!” Tsubaki calls back. Kuro just looks resigned.

“Yes, you are,” Kuro mutters, laying a hand over his eyes. Mahiru holds out his hand, smiling brightly.

“I’m Mahiru Shirota, guardian of one.”

Kuro takes it. “Kuro, guardian of seven.”

The handshake feels like a beginning, and the way Kuro looks at him makes him feel warm.

Or maybe it’s the kids swarming him.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always loved and brighten up my day and are saved in my Gmail.
> 
> Also! Here's my [Tumblr.](http://nikescaret.tumblr.com) Come visit and chat with me if you want!


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